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A Preliminary Bulletin 

Concerning some 

BEE DISEASES 



INDIANA 



June, 1909 
Office cf 

BENJAMIN W. DOUGLASS 

STATE ENTOMOLOGIST . 



GEORGE S. DEMUTH 

CHIEF OF DIVISION OF APIARY INSPECTION 
In lianapolis, Ind 










A TYPICAL CASE OF AMERICAN FOUL BROOD. 

Notice the perforated cappings and the small masses ot 
unremoved material oik^tha„ lewei- side of some of the cells. 
Tb> via;.;erial is what r^aWfofUhe diseased larva. 

''-' AFB 19 1910 



BEE DISEASES. 

This Bulletin is prepared as a preliminary 
statement concerning tl>e present status of Bee 
diseases in Indiana. '"^ 

Until a comparatively few years ago bees were 
thought to be almost entirely free from any 
form of disease, but recent investigations indi- 
cate that this idea is quite erroneous. 

At present there are several di'seases known 
to attack the domestic bee. Some:^ these dis- 
orders have been thoroughly stuctied and are 
well understood, while some of tile others baf- 
fle our most careful investigationsT 

The two diseases which attract the most at- 
tention are knoAvn as American Foul Brood and 
European Foul Br!H)d. The names do not refer 
to the origin of the disease but to the country 
in which the respective troubles were first 
worked out 

Both American and P^uropean Foul Brood are 
prevalent in Indiana, and dui'ing the past few 
years have been spreading with alarming rapid- 
ity. 

In some localises hundreds of colonies of 
bees have been destroyed before the beekeepers 
realized the danger. 

AMERICAN FOUL BROOD. 

The American Foul Brood is that which has 
been known simply as Foul Brood. From inves^ 
tigations conducted by the Bureau of Ento- 
mology of the United States Government the 
cause of American Foul Brood was found to be 
a species of bacteria. Bacillus Larvae. 

In diseased colonies the bees are usually not 
very active. ]Much of the brood fails to hatch. 

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The cappiiigs of the infected cells are sunken 
and often have ragged perforations. 

In American Fonl Brood most of the cells 
containing diseased larvae are capped, and the 
larvae seem to die soon after the time of cap- 
ping. If one of these diseased cells be oi>ened 
the dead larvae may be seen lying on the lower 
side (not bottom) of the cell. Later it seems 
to melt down into a jelly-like mass of brownish 
color. If a pin or small stick be inserted in a 
dead larva and withdrawn the material stretches 
out in a fine thread or is "ropy." This char- 
acteristic is usually the final clinical test in 
the diagnosis of this disease. In the earlier 
stages the color of the dead material is best 
described as that of coffee diluted with milk, 
but later the color is dark brown, and finally 
the dead larva dries down to a mere dark 
scale which adheres firmly to the lower side 
of the cell. 

The bees are seemingly unable to remove these 
scales. They may be seen in any comb that has 
contained Foul Brood by letting a strong light 
strike the lower side of the cells and looking 
into them at such an angle that the line of sight 
strikes the lower side of the cell about one- 
third of its depth. Each of these scales con- 
tains innumerable spores, each of which is 
capable of producing the disease in a healthy 
bee larva. 

EUROPEAN FOUL BROOD. 

European Foul Brood is the disease commonly 
known as "Black Brood." and is more difficult 
to positively diagnose than is the American dis- 
ease. The cause of European Foul Brood is not 
known at the present time. 

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Ill European Foul Brood the larvae die ear- 
lier than in the American, most of them dying 
before the time of capping. The dead larvae 
are at first yellow in color, but grow darker 
until almost black. 

The dried-down scales do not adhere firmly 
to the lower side of the cells, and are usually 
removed by the bees. Ropiness may be almost 
or entirely wanting. 

It must be remembered that some colonies 
may be but slightly infected, having but few 
diseased cells, and apparently active and 
healthy. Such colonies are easily overlooked by 
those unaccustomed to the disease. During a 
heavy honey flow these mild cases may appar- 
ently disappear entirely. 

TREATMENT. 

The underlying principal of any treatment of 
either of these brood diseases is the complete 
separation of bees and infected material. The 
plan usually followed is the so-called McBvoy 
treatment which, given in Mr. McEvoy's own 
words, is as follows : "In the honey season, 
\Aiien the bees are gathering freely, remove the 
combs in the evenhui and shake the bees into 
their own hive ; give them frames with comb 
foundation starters on and let them build comb 
for four days. The bees will make the starters 
into comb during the four days and store the 
diseased honey in them which they took with 
them from the old comb. Then in the evening 
of the fourth day take out the new combs and 
give them comb foundation to work out, and 
then the cure will be complete." 

While Mr. McEvoy does not advise disin- 
fecting the hives, it is always advisable to do 
so, as many cases of reinfection have been re- 



ported when the bees were sliaken into the same 
hive. 

Hives may be rendered entirely safe for nse 
again by charring the inside by means of a 
paint torch or by burning out with kerosene. 

In incipient cases tlie cure will usually be 
complete without taking away the combs at the 
end of the four days. In such cases they may 
be shaken into a hive containing full sheets of 
foundation in the beginning. 

If only one or two colonies are diseased the 
frames and combs should be burned or buried 
and the hives cleaned and charred. Care should 
be us:ed in burning combs containing honey, as 
some of it might flow down into the ashes with- 
out being sufficiently heated to destroy the dis- 
ease germs. Tlie destruction of this material 
should not be put off until next day, but done 
during the night or before any bees fly the next 
day. 

If there are several diseased colonies in tlie 
yard the healthy brood may be saved by treat- 
ing the strongest colonies first and tiering up 
the brood on tlie w^eaker until most of it has 
hatched. If the queen of the weaker colony is 
killed when this brood is tiered upon it. there 
will be but little brood left unhatched at the end 
of the two weeks, when this queenless colony 
may be treated and given a queen, after which 
the combs may be destroyed. 

If there be a large number of diseased col- 
onies the combs may be rendered into wax, 
providing great care be taken in disinfecting all 
tools and utensils by boiling one hour, and the 
slumgum should be burned or buried. 

In no case should diseased combs be rendered 
in. a solar wax extractor as the heat may not be 
sufficient to destroy the spores. 

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All work with diseased colonies should be 
doue after sundown or when the bees are not 
flying, and all infected material should be de- 
stroyed before next morning. 

Great care should be taken with diseased 
honey, that no bees have access to it and thus 
carry the infection into clean hives. 

After handling a diseased colony the hands 
of the operator, as well as the tools and even 
the smoker, should be thoroughly disinfected 
before handling a healthy colony. 

If a colony is known to be diseased it i- 
never wise to try to winter it. as it is ahuost 
certain to die late in the winter or early in the 
spring, and the infected honey will be carried 
out by other bees before the owner knows the 
colony is dead. 

In localities where Foul Brood is known to 
exist close watch should be kept, and if a col- 
ony dies during the winter the combs had best 
be removed jind the hive treated as though dis- 
eased. 

Colonies too weak in the spring to defend 
themselves should not be left a prey to robbers, 
and all work should be done in such a manner 
as to avoid robbing. 

As a matter of self-preservation each bee- 
keeper should look after infected material in 
the neighborhood and i-eport any carelessness. 
for if the state is able to eradicate Foul Brood 
it must be largely through the co-operation of 
the beekeepers. 



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BEE MOTH. 

Very often we hear the expression from farm- 
ers that "they used to keep bees but the worms 
got hi and ate them up." The "worm" referred 
to is the hirva of the Bee Moth (Galleria 
meloneHa) and it is never to be found in a 
liealtliy. well-cared for colony. The moth is 
liable to invade the home of a weakened colony, 
and with the old type of box hive it may become 
an injurious pest. The newer types of frame 
hives leave no place of refuge for the young 
larvae, and the bees can readily defend them- 
selves. 

Invariably the presence of the Bee Moth is an 
evidence of careless work on the part of the 
beekeeper. 

BEE LAWS. 

The work of Apiary Inspection in Indiana is 
under the direction of the State Entomologist. 

The following sections are from the law as 
passed by the Legislature of 1909 : 

Powers as to Apiaries. 

Section 5. The state entomologist shall have 
full power and authority at his discretion to 
visit and examine any apiaries for the purpose 
of discovering whether or not any disease may 
exist among bees in any i^art of the state. When 
notified of the existence or the probable exist- 
ence of foul brood or other contagious or in- 
fectious diseases among bees in any apiary in 
the state he shall visit and examine said apiary 
so reported and all other apiaries in the same 
neighborhood that he may be informed about by 
diligent inquiry or otherwise, for the purpose 



of determining whether such disease exists or 
not. Whenever he shall be satisfied of the ex- 
istence of foul brood or other diseases in their 
malignant form in any apiary, it shall be his 
duty to order all colonies so affected together 
with all hives occupied by them, and the con- 
tents of those hives and all tainted appurte- 
nances that cannot be disinfected and that might 
cause the further spread of the disease to be 
immediately destroyed by tire under his per- 
sonal supervision and care, but where said en- 
tomologist who shall be the sole judge thereof 
shall be satisfied that the disease exists in in- 
cipient stages, and is being or may be ti"eated 
successfully, and he shall have reason to believe 
that it may be entirely cured, then he may in 
his discretion omit to destroy or order the de- 
struction of the colonies or hives in which the 
disease exists. Whenever the disease shall be 
found to exist and the treatment for the same 
shall be ordered by the state entomologist he 
shall give to the owner or person in charge of 
the apiary instructions as to the manner of 
treatment of such apiary, and to see that such 
treatment be carried out, and should the said 
owTier or person in charge of said apiary refuse 
or fail to carry out said instructions to the 
complete eradication of the disease or the satis- 
faction of the state entomologist, he shall de- 
stroy or order to be destroyed all said diseased 
colonies by fire as provided for in case of dis- 
ease in its malignant form. 

Transfer of Bees. 

Section 6. The state entomologist shall have 
full power in his discretion to order any owner, 
possessor or person having charge of bees dwell- 
ing in box hives (having mere boxes without 

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frames) in apiaries where disease exists, to 
transfer sncli bees to movable frame hives, witli- 
in a specified time, and in default of such trans- 
fer he shall order destroyed or destroy all sncli 
box hives and the bees dwelling therein. 

Right to Enter Premises. 

Section 7. The said ntate entomologist shall 
have the right to enter for the performance of 
his duties upon any premises where bees are 
liept. 

Diseased Bees or Appliances. Penalty. 

Section 9. Any owner of any apiary where 
disease exists or any person or persons, company 
or corporation who shall sell, barter or give 
away, or import into this state any colony or 
colonies of bees or appliances infected with dis- 
ease, or expose to the danger of other bees any 
comb, honey or bee hives or appliances, or 
things infected with the disease, or conceal the 
fact that disease exists among his or their bees 
when disease is known to exist, or refuses to 
allow the state entomologist to inspect or treat 
any apiary or appliances or shall resist, hinder 
or impede him in any way in the discharge" of 
his duties under the provisions of this act. shall 
be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction 
shall be fined in any sum not less than ten dol- 
lars ($10.00) nor more than twenty-five dol- 
lars (.$25.00). 

Duties of Beekeepers. 

Section 10. Every beekeeper or other person 
who is aware of the existence of Foul Brood 
or other infectious or contagious diseases either 
in his own apiary or elsewhere shall immedi- 

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LIBRARY OF CONbKtbb 

ately notify the state e 
isteiice of such disease a 
ing shall be guilty of a "qI' jj^^2 ^4^ 720 2 

conviction shall be fined m tiu.y oum mu more 
than ten dollars ($10.00). 

Section 13. The state entomologist shall have 
the authority to employ such deputies and assist- 
ants as the work of the olfice may require. 



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